How would you react if you were trapped in a house full of women vying for the attention of the same man? Understandably, many contestants on The Bachelor don't react too well to the forced camaraderie and competitive nature of the show, but sometimes the audience doesn't even see the full extent of what's happening within those hotel walls. Nicole and Onyeka's drama on The Bachelor has seemingly brewed for a while, but things between them hit a breaking point on Feb. 4's episode.
In a Jan. 28 episode dominated by leftover pageant queen feuds and Demi and Courtney's argument about maturity, there wasn't much room for any other shenanigans happening among the women that week. Filling in the gaps of trouble that arose in Feb. 4's episode, the Bachelor Twitter account released a deleted scene ahead of the latest drama explaining 24-year-old Onyeka's problem with 25-year-old Nicole. Apparently, Nicole had a history of crying whenever one-on-one date cards went to other women, and her sensitive side concerned Onyeka, who told the social media coordinator, "I've seen you cry more times than I've seen anyone cry in the house."
Nicole was quick to defend herself, saying, "A lot of people think me crying is a sign of weakness...people are so shocked that I'm not afraid to do that in front of people." She then told producers, "They think I'm weak because I'm crying and being emotional. I'm just totally being myself."
While the deleted footage seemed to end with the two calling a truce, the ladies' following week in Thailand further complicated Onyeka's concern for Nicole's well-being. As seen with Onyeka's dealing of constant interrupter Catherine on Night One, the IT risk consultant isn't shy about tackling something that doesn't sit right with her. On the other hand, Nicole teared up at the mere thought of the very first rose ceremony, so the show has receipts for both her sensitivity and Onyeka's bluntness. Still, that didn't really prepare Bachelor Nation for how quickly their conflict escalated in Feb. 4's episode.
During their group date, Onyeka pulled Colton aside to bring up info Elyse shared with her before the redhead chose to leave the show earlier in the episode. Nicole allegedly told Elyse she was on The Bachelor to find opportunities to leave her Miami hometown. Onyeka's confession understandably freaked Colton out, who then went to speak with Nicole about the rumor. She denied it, claiming to be on the show because she "hadn't been able to find love."
When Onyeka talked to the other women about the scoop, Tayshia insisted the convo was misunderstood, saying that Nicole was just speaking about taking any opportunities that came up through the show. Nicole teared up when she rejoined the group and felt the others' judgment, prompting Onyeka to complain to cameras about how frequently Nicole grew upset.
Even before the women had a chance to hash out their disagreement, fans on Twitter were torn about what part of the fight was sillier. Are you more against Onyeka spilling fake tea or cry-shaming Nicole?
As the rose ceremony kicked off, Nicole was determined to explain her truth to Colton, telling him that her wanting to leave Miami couldn't be further from the truth. She even shared that Onyeka had bullied her since the Bachelor experience began and said Nicole was mentally unstable. Welp, there goes Colton's hope for a peaceful night in Thailand.
During Colton's private time with Onyeka, she rejected Nicole's claims, believing she had never bullied anyone. Onyeka called Nicole out, prompting a disagreement abut whether she labeled her as emotionally or mentally unstable. As the other women pointed out, the feud was a little fruitless and petty, and just as Colton cut Courtney and Tracy last week after they clashed with Demi, the Bachelor doesn't seem very inclined to entertain women causing trouble in the house. Colton tried and fail to interrupt Nicole and Onyeka's argument before walking away from both women and wandering alone by the ocean. We'll have to wait until next week to see if these women make it through, but based on Colton's reaction, their chances might not be great.
Season 23 of The Bachelor continues on Monday, Feb. 11, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
